


more than you think you are

by mikochan_noda



Series: Sasusaku-Headcanons [2012-2014] [15]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 2012, F/M, Gen, Hurt and comfort, I really meant hurt here, It's my fave trope, Old Fic, TW: Blood, sutures, tw: wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26803096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikochan_noda/pseuds/mikochan_noda
Summary: Sasuke knows she'll be okay.But why is he the one trembling here?(Surprisingly, Sakura is injured, and Sasuke tries his best to make things better.)
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: Sasusaku-Headcanons [2012-2014] [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765711
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	more than you think you are

Sasuke remembers that Sakura’s talent in first-aid was better than most of his fellow graduates in the academy. This is why her role is only limited to tending wounds and carrying the medical supplies  
  
Today, after the fight with Haku, the haze of anesthetic numbs his usual stoic persona, and for once, loosens himself to observe her openly.   
  
Sakura is unaware of this, as she concentrates on making a perfect figure-of-eight bandage wrap over his left elbow. She lathers each fresh puncture with ointment and trembling fingers. And he ignores the tricks his mind plays, those phantom scents of povidone and salt, his once clear sight - now out of focus - as he believes that the curves of her cheeks are moist.   
  
“Go to sleep, Sasuke-kun.” Her small voice breaks, and it confirms what he dreads all along.  
  
He hates the tears in her eyes.  
  
But Sasuke buries this thought and instead thinks he hates her.  
  
 _How weak._

* * *

  
  
Sasuke discovered something too late.  
  
A year has already passed after Team Seven’s reinstated status in the mission roster. Naturally, they had a good record of being the best team in the _shinobi_ service. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to expect that this would continue to go on without any mishaps.  
  
Team Seven was out in a dangerous information retrieval mission, and the journey back home was the perilous one, as they were ambushed when they activated one of the numerous silent traps. Knowing that the scrolls were an important factor to keep Konoha from being involved in another brewing menace of two warring villages, they fought back. Hard.  
  
In the end - after the copses were razed and the earth was shattered - they got separated, as numbers were sent to annihilate them. They were finally almost breaking of the first wave of extremely trained _shinobi_ , and from what Sasuke had seen with his sharp eyes, more were coming in their direction. It prompted them to retreat, which resulted in them separating into pairs,  
  
And right now, because of a moment of foolishness…  
  
( _you didn’t have to do that, stupid girl. aren't you supposed to dodge? i can handle my back, you don’t have to jump in and take –_   
  
he keeps his silence instead, strains to get behind the huge boulder that almost camouflaged one of their safe spots. he could not afford to think that now when the one he should be berating was himself.  
  
isn’t this ironic? he would be the one who has to take all those needles out)  
  
They were now in the nearby safe caves, a few miles away from the conflict point   
  
Wounded and almost disoriented, Sasuke was still vigilant enough to make some _genjutsu_ traps around the mouth of the entrance, before crouching down to the end of the path as he laid down his burden on the flattest ground he could find. His bleeding calf him couldn’t move as quickly as before but didn’t care to alleviate the twinges or clean the bloody trail left on their escape.  
  
Sakura was currently unconscious, the half of her hair matted and drenched in bright red. There were cuts and slices on every exposed skin he could see, and sharp weapons were impaled to her back. He knew that head wounds were supposed to bleed worse even for the shallowest cuts, but seeing it almost made his whole body shake. What was worse, she was breathing jaggedly, as if the mere rise and fall of her chest was an excruciating movement. He could feel her feverish skin and the wracking shivers of her body.   
  
Sasuke had faced thousands of dangers in his young life. However, they were nothing in comparison to this. Sakura, unconscious, bleeding, dying…This was the strongest horrible situation that he had never wanted to face.   
  
The very second that he had lit the portable, smokeless burner, Sasuke immediately grabbed her bag, ignoring the mixed scents of ash and metal. A hundred different thoughts - clashing and loud, almost drowning - of what he should do. He knew the paralyzing poison that was coursing through her could be nullified with concentrated healing chakra, as he was already exposed & immune to a multitude of Sound concoctions. But the massive chakra expenditure would not be enough to completely heal any organ damage, and though judging from the decrease of bluing nails, the poison was slowly detoxified, he knew it would be a matter of time before she’ll be undergoing hypovolemic shock.   
  
He clumsily tore off her mesh shirt, and lets out a loud sigh of relief with her tightly-bandaged chest. Carefully, he loosens the linens so that she could breathe easily.

When Sasuke proceeded to take out the thin projectiles, he almost felt sick on how close they all were to her vital points. _Unlike Haku_ , he thinks, _this time the enemy really aimed to kill_. The kettle boils, the blankets were already getting warm and the bandages were laid out within his arms reach, but he greatly wishes the discipline of controlling his chakra more perfectly. As Sasuke did not dare to attempt to close it, not even with the barest of courage to try, as he could barely concentrate in calculating precise energy manipulations in his head, while he was still reeling with her state and her hisses of pain.

He was already in the process of finishing off the last of her antibiotic paste on her punctures when he noticed something.  
  
The blood on Sakura’s head wound was still flowing, and fragrant with another familiar flowery scent. Whatever blunt blade that had hit her head, the weapon was also laced with a mild anticoagulant.   
  
Acid rose to his throat, almost burning his chest. It threatened to spill out of his mouth, but he could not lose his calm now.  
  
Sasuke knew had to pull himself together because he was the only one who could keep her alive.  
  
A surgical suture set pack was quickly torn, not giving a damn if his hands were already not aseptic enough. Grabbing his knife, he assessed at how bright the blood still shone against the pastel. Fingers gingerly probed her scalp and he hissed out a curse at how long and large the gash was, three inches from the crown of her head until it almost reached the start of her skull base, and almost half-inch wide.   
  
Realization struck him hard. How on earth could she had the strength to stay calm, when her elbows were already buried deep into their guts, composure intact, barking orders at the other onlookers, with face lit with serious determination? He often saw her tears after bouts of extensive healing, but how could she not be crumbling and retching in the middle of an in-field operation? 

They said that most medics even refused to treat their loved ones when they are in the brink of death. But not Sakura. She had been doing this all her life.

Closing his eyes and drawing a deep breath, Sasuke imagined the steel glint of green irises beneath darkened lids.   
  
He opened them again, dark red pinwheels that aided him to commit this mistake to memory. The blade in his hand felt like lead.  
  
Sasuke started to cut her hair. 

It clung to him, to his arms, to his legs, refusing to even fall down to the floor. Wet with blood, clumps of carnation-pink complemented by blood-crimson stuck to him like stains. The entire time, he’s either half-swallowing his own vomit or whispering harshly to do this faster. He continued, face grim, teeth-gritting, as he grabs a gauze, drips in povidone, and warm water. Red eyes didn’t stop to look over what he had done, focusing instead on the huge gash, the curved needle with its thread, and its holder in his hand.

===

Sakura could feel trembling fingers and a numb sensation of push and pull. Her index finger twitched, and tapped on a knuckle. Her senses concentrated on the scent of antiseptic, and tried to ignore the sudden weightlessness of her head. Judging from the deep, slow breaths, exhaustion finally made its toll on her companion and was already holding her close for extra warmth.  
  
“Sakura,” said the quivering voice. It was deep, rumbling, almost drowning in pain, almost whispered at the crook of her shoulder. “Go to sleep.”  
  
Even when she breathed in dust and tasted bitter blood against her tongue, she slowly smiled. It was painful, and she could almost feel the layer of dried blood crust on her cheek, but all she could think of was the hand that responded with with a tighter grip, and the warm ( _tear_ )drops that made its way from her neck to her chest.

( _you’ve always been strong, sasuke-kun_ )  
  
“Okay.” She whispered. “It’s going to be okay, Sasuke-kun.”

**Author's Note:**

> posted at sasusaku-headcanons last september 30, 2012 [[LINK](https://sasusaku-headcanons.tumblr.com/post/32598786029)]


End file.
